Atomizing oil burner



Patented Oct. 27, 1942 VUNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE;N

ATOMIZING GIL BURNER Gaylord H. Wotring, Bridgeport, Conn., assigner to General Electric Com New York pany, a. corporation of l `Application February 24, 1940. Serial No. 320,567

5 Claims.

The invention relates to atomizing oil burners, and provides an improved formof automatic oil burner of the conversion type in which a stream of. atomized oil is discharged into a stream of combustion air at theburner nozzle and which may be'insta'lled for projecting flame into furnace combustion chambers of many different forms and sizes.`

The principal object is ktoprovide improved -means Vfor controlling the shape or form of the atomizing oil burner 'flame so as to enable the flame shape or form `to be properly tailored to fit the form and size of the furnace combustion chamber, and thereby more readily obtain quiet, reliable, and eflicient heating operation.

In the improvedform of oil burner embodying" the present invention, the rotational and linear momentum components of the combustion air stream issuing from the burner nozzle and carrying the atomized oil stream therewith are` 'in-` iluenced by different adjustable parts of the apparatus that act successively on the air stream, theY first as to direction and the second asto amount. to produce the desired shape or formof the` flame resulting from the combustion of the When the linear momentum comtional components of the combustion air streamY and at the same time varying the rate of air flow and the supply of atomized oil thereto; the form and shape of the burner flame may be conformed to furnace combustion chambers of many other forms and sizes. The flexibility thus obtained in shaping the flame by means of the present inl vention enables the improved conversion oil burner to be applied more satisfactorily' and efllciently to the various sizes and forms of boilers and furnaces ordinarily employed in domestic heating service with the minimum modification or reconstruction of the furnace combustion chamber. A preferred form of the invention embodied in an automatic atomizing oil burner of the conversion type adapted for domestic heating service is illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which Fig. 1 is a side view of the improved burner partly in section to reveal the interior construction; Fig. 2 is a front view of the burner shown in Fig. 1 also partly in section to show more clearly the combustion air inlet opening into the burner nozzle; Fig. 3 is an enlarged top view of the burner nozzle shown partly in section to illustrate more presence of these elements.

clearly the detail construction thereof; and Fig. 4 is a perspective view from the rear of the burner nozzle shown in Fig. 3 which more clearly showsV the cooperating `relation of the improved air rotational andlinear momentum control parts.

As shown in Fig. i the improvements of the presenty invention are embodied in an automatic oilburner of the conversion ,type .having the improved unit construction which is fully dcscribed Aand claimed in the'patent application of Aldo Macchi, S. N. 320,557,4 filed concurrently herewith. In this burner unit construction, the electric motor driven blower II and air and oil supply means I2 together withs'uitableignition and automatic control elements are mounted within an enclosing jacketor casing I which is partly brokeny away inFig.`1 to indicatethe The burner combustion air supply nozzle I5 which is provided with an enlarged lateral air inlet iscrollcasing I6 as more clearly shown in the enlarged views of Figs. 3' and 4 is removably mounted upon the upright wall I1 with which the removable jacketor casing I0 cooperates to enclo'sethe burner operating elements. Suitable mountinglugs 'I8' are provided for receiving the bolts I9 by means of which the combustion air nc zzl e I5 is removably mountedon the outer side of the upright wall I1. Thus the wall I1 serves to close the .open'end of the enlarged lateral air flow scroll I6 when the nozzle I5 is mounted in proper operating relation on this burner unit wall.

As indicated in Figs, 1, 2 and 3 combustion air under pressure is supplied from the electric motor driven blower II tothe combustion air nozzle I5 through an elongated rectangular shaped opening 20 which isformed in the wall I'I so as to discharge the air under pressure into the upper part of the enlarged lateral air flow scroll I6. The outlet duct I Ia of the electric motor driven blower `Il preferably is sealed to thev upright wall'V I1 around theedges of the air inletopening 20 by VKmeans of a resilient gasket 2 I'formedof felt or other suitable material. Y v

In accordance with the present vinvention the separately `adjustable and successively acting air flow control means are provided, the first for influencing the rotational, and the second for influencing the linear momentum component'.y of the combustion air stream'discharged from the air nozzle I5. In the preferred form of the invention illustrated inthe drawing an adjustable flame shaping baille 25 is located inside of the air flow scrollcasing IIil adjacent the top thereof and directly in front and preferably to one side of the air inlet opening 20,as shown in Fig. 4, so` as to control the rotational components of the air flow from the inlet opening 20 through the lateral scroll casing I6 and into the combustion air nozzle I5. The flame shaping baffle 25 is shown mounted upon an adjusting threaded shaft 26 sition.

' tion by tightening the lock nut 21. Adjustment of the flame shaping baille 25 will vary the amount of whirl or rotational momentum imparted to the air flow within the `lateral air scroll I6.

The combustion air, with more or yless whirl or rotational momentum imparted thereto within the v-lateral scroll casing I6,'then passes in a plurality of equalized airstreams into'the interior of the combustion air nozzle I5 through the slot openings between the three equilaterally disposed concentric segmental flow equalizing varies Q28. These segmental vanes 28 are located circumferentially and symmetrically about the' axis of the scroll casing I6 directly at the entrance therefrom into 'the 'combustion air nozzle I5. These flow equalizing vanes 28 extend into engagement with the upright wall I1, thereby forcing all of the air admitted from the scroll casing I6 into the combustion air nozzle I5'to pass Vequally through the symmetrically concentered spaces or slots between the vanes' 28.

These three slots serve to produce from the turbulent rotating air flow in the scroll three-relatively equal and equally spaced air jets or streams vwhich are admitted symmetrically about the axis of the yair nozzle I5 and which will joinV to product a uniform air distribution in the air nozzle I 5,

In order to regulate or vary theamount of air passingthrough the spaces or slots between 'the vanesV 28, the adjustable cylindrical sleeve 30 is slidably mounted inside of the combustion air nozzle I5 so that 1t may be positiondto equally close more or less of each space orY slot between the flow directingY vanes 28. 'Ihe adjustable cylindrical sleeve -30 is arranged to 4be clamped in its desired position by means -of the bolt 3l which extends through the slot 32 formed -ln the side wall of the combustion air nozzle I5.'

The bolt 3l is provided with the clamping wing nut 33 for securing the sleeve 30 xedly in po- Upon loosening the wing nut 33, the sleeve 30 may be readily adjusted to close to the desired amount of each slot between the flow equalizing vanes 28.

The combustion air nozzle I5 is provided with a restrictedioutlet orifice 35 which `'preferably is axially with the axis of the combustion air nozzle I5 and the cooling air tube 4I with the oil supply'pipe 42 and air supply pipe 43 inside thereof extend through suitable openings formed in the upright wall I1 so that the pipes 4 2 and 43 may be connected to the electric motor driven oil and air supply means I2.

The atomized oil stream discharged at a desired rate from the nozzle 40 along the axis of the combustion air nozzle I5 preferably is ignited by means of an electric arc formed between .the arcing electrodes 45 mounted in suitable high Vvoltage insulators 46 in the supporting bracket 41 so as to locate the electric arc at the end of the electrodes 4 5 slightly above and adjacent the edge of the atomized oil stream issuing from nozzle 4D. While not shown, it will be understood that the electrodes 45 areelectrically connected through Suitable conductors 'passing'4 back through the upright wall I1 with a suitable igni-` tion transformer located insideof the burner unit enclosing jacket or casing III. Likewise while not shownin detail a ame detector switch operating mechanism 5II is mounted in the auxiliary housing 5I extending from the side of the combustion air nozzle I5 and made responsive to the presence or absence of combustion adjacent the end of the combustion air nozzle I5 by an improved air injector action as described and claimed in the aforesaid Macchi patent application, S. N. 320,557. The details of this improved flame d etectorarrangement are not 1 deemed necessary to a proper understanding of' the present invention and hence need not be fur- 'ther described except that it should be underl 'stood that thelame detector 50 operates 'withl control mechanism mounted Y suitable autom within the oi'l. burn"e'r unit enclosing jacket III for insuring safe operation of the/oil burner unit underall normal operating conditions.

In operation oil is supplied to the electricmotor driven pumping mechanism through a suitable oil supply pipe line 52 shown in Fig. 2, electric power is supplied to the unit through a suit-V able power connection cable53. Combustion air is drawn into the unit through Athe space under the upright wall I1 and between the edges of the enclosing jacket or casing I0 and then into the inlet opening of the electric motor driven blower II. Upon ignition of the stream of atomlzed oil discharged at a desired rate from the nozzle 40 along the axis of the combustion air nozzle I5 and adjacent to the combustion air discharge A orifice 35, a flame will be established and the formed in the end of a separate nozzle tip 36 which is'detachably secured to the combustion air nozzle I5 byv the bolts 31 in orderthat the nozzle tips may bereadily replaced.

'Ihe oil atomizing nozzle 40, preferably of the improved variable oil rate form fully described and claimed in the patent application of Aldo `Macchi, S. N. 320,558, filed concurrently herewith is provided for discharging atomized oil at variable rates into the combustion air stream adjacent the outletV orifice 35. It will be undergeneral shape and size of this llame may be varied by means of the Vimprovements of the present invention so as ,to conform with the YVarious shapes and sizes ofthe combustion chambers `of the furnaces to which the conversion oil burner unit embodying the present invention may be applied. f

By adjusting the llame shaping baille 25, the rotational component imparted to the combustion air flow throughthe scroll casing I6 may be varied between predetermined limits.- The linear momentum component of A the air flow through the combustion air nozzle I5 Alikewise may be varied between predetermined limits by adjusting the sliding sleeve 3|] so as to close more or less of the slot openings between the ow equalizing Vanes 28.

When a relatively short, wide angle flame from the burner unit is desired to fit a particular shape and sizer of furnace combustion chamber. the flame shaping baille 25 is adjusted to its maxnum effective angular position as indicated in igs. 2 to 4 so as to impart the desired maximum otational momentum to the air flowing through he scroll casing I6 into the combustion air nozzle i5 through the slots between the equalizing 'anes 28. This maximum rotational momentum f the air flow in the scroll I6 results from the lisplacement or crowding of the air flowing from he blower outlet Ila through the scroll inlet pening 20 away from the right-hand side of :asinfg I 6 which is the lower side as shown in Fig. 4. Such sidewise displacing or crowding if the air within the scroll casing I6 produces the iermissible maximum counterclockwise whirl or otation of the airflow passing through theslots )etween the vanes 28 into the combustion air 'lozzle I5 with the resulting rotational momen- ;um component of the air at the air nozzle dis- :harge orice 35 serving to produce a relatively vide angle flame. The length of the flame may )e regulated by adjusting the sliding sleeve 30 to zhe position indicated in Fig. 3 so as to reduce :he effective area of the slots between the vanes I8 thereby materially reducing the linear momentum component of the air flow through the :ombustion air discharge nozzle orifice 35.

With no angular displacement of the flame shaping baffle 25, that is, with the baille in alignment with the air stream flow through opening 20, then the air flow through the scroll casing I6 will cause a substantially straight line radial air flow through the slots between the flow directing vanes 28. This will result in three equal jets of air, `all radial, passing through the slots between the vanes 28 and joining into Aa uniform straight line air flow through the combustion air nozzle I5. This will result in producing an elongated relatively narrow flame the length of which may be regulated by adjusting the sleeve 30, the flame becoming longer as the sleeve 30 is adjusted to increase the area of the slots between the vanes 28.

Thus when the angular displacement of the flame baille is varied from that shown in Figs. 2 and 4 and the sleeve 30 is adjusted to vary burner units embodying the present invention may be applied.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In a conversion oil burner for furnaces, the combination of combustion air supply means including a nozzle tube having air flow modifying means adjacent the outlet end thereof adapted to project a stream of air into a furnace combustion chamber, oil supply means including an atomizing nozzle mounted within said air nozzle tube adjacent said air flow modifying means, and air flow control means for varying the shape of the burner flame including a casing having a scroll surrounding the other end of said air nozzle tube and provided with an air inlet opening having an adjustable flow diversion vane for controlling the rotational component of air flow within ,said scroll, and an adjustable symmetrical multiported sleeve valve disposed inside said casing in alignment with said air nozzle tube for admitting a plurality of air streams from said casing into said tube and controlling the volume of said streams.

2. In a conversion oil burner for different size fire boxes, the combination of combustion air Cil supply means including a combustion air discharge nozzle tube, oil supply means including an oil atomizing nozzle mounted coaxially within said air discharge nozzle tube, and air flow control means for varying the shape of the burner flame including a scroll casing surrounding the inlet end of said air nozzle tube and provided with a side air inlet opening offset from the axis of said tube and a plurality of air outlet slots concentrically disposed symmetrically about the axis of said tube, adjustable flow diversion baille means mounted adjacent said air inlet opening for controlling the rotational momentum component of the air flow within said scroll casing and an adjustable sleeve for equally varying the area of said air outlet slots.

3. An oil burner having, in combination, acombustion air nozzle tube, an air discharge nozzle tip at one end of said tube, a coaxial multiported air inlet sleeve valve at the other end Iof said tube for admitting a plurality of air streams symmetrically about the axis of said tube, an oil discharge nozzle mounted coaxially within said air nozzle tube adjacent said air nozzle tip, means for supplying oil under pressure to said oil discharge nozzle, means for igniting the oil discharged to establish a burner flame, a scroll casing surrounding said air inlet sleeve valve and having an air inlet opening provided with an adjustable baille cooperating with said sleeve valve for controlling the rotational and linear momentum components of the air streams admitted to said air nozzle tube to vary the shape of the burner flame, and means for supplying air under pressure to said air inlet opening.

4. In an oil burner, the combination of air supply means including a combustion air supply tube having nozzle means at one end thereof adapted to project a stream of air into a furnace combustion chamber, oil supply means including an oil atomizing nozzle mounted within said air supply tube adjacent said nozzle means, peripheral air inlet means at the other end of said air supply tube for admitting a plurality of air streams symmetrically about the axis of said tube and having adjustable means for controlling the volume of said streams to regulate the size of the burner flame, and an air inlet scroll casing surrounding said peripheral air inlet means and having an adjustable baffle therein cooperating with said adjustable means for controlling the air streams admitted to said air supply tube to vary the shape of the burner flame.

5. In an oil burner adapted to be applied to furnaces having combustion chambers of different shapes, in combination, combustion air supply means including an air nozzle tube having symmetrical multijtorted peripheral air inlet means at cue end thereof and air flow converging means at the discharge end thereof, oil sup.

ply means including an oil atomizing nozzle disposed within and adjacent to the discharge end of said air nozzle tube, a casing having a scroll surrounding said air inlet means and provided with an air inlet opening at one side of said air inlet means, and separately adjustable air flow control elements, one disposed adjacent said air inlet opening for controlling the rotational momentum component of the air flow within said scroll and another cooperating with said air inlet means for controlling the volume of the air admitted through said air inlet means from said casing to said air nozzle tube.

GAYLORD H. VVOTRING, 

